Trailer frame with load bunks

ABSTRACT

A gas tank-carrying trailer consisting of a wheeled U-shaped main frame with hitch means and a supporting dolly at its bight portion. The rear portion of the main frame carries an arched tank-lifting frame structure provided with winch means for lifting a tank above the level of the main frame. The arms of the main frame have spaced pairs of positioning lugs, and load bunks are provided with spaced right-angled plate-like vertical end portions supportable on the arms between the positioning lugs. The positioning lugs act to positively hold the bunks in transverse supporting positions when the tank is lowered onto the bunks. The tank is held down on the bunks by straps or chains whose ends are hooked to cross rods connecting the plate-like end portions of the bunks. Vertical channels are provided on the tank-lifting frame structure spaced from the main post elements thereof to define receiving spaces for the end portions of the bunks for storing the bunks in stacked transverse positions on the frame structure when not in use. Removable locking pins are provided on the top ends of the channels for holding the end portions of the bunks in the receiving spaces. The frame structure may be folded down onto the main frame to facilitate transportation of the trailer when it is not carrying a tank.

This invention relates to load-carrying trailers, and more particularly to a tank-carrying trailer of the type employing load bunks to support a tank thereon while being transported by the trailer.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved tank-carrying trailer which is relatively simple in construction, which is provided with tank-supporting bunks which are positively held in position on the frame of the trailer and which cannot shift during transportation of a tank, and which employs simple and inexpensive structural elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tank-carrying trailer employing load bunks to support a tank thereon, the bunks being inexpensive to fabricate, being durable in construction, and the trailer having means cooperating with the bunks to positively retain them in load-carrying positions with the associated tank securely fastened and held against shifting during transportation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved tank-carrying trailer structure of the type employing a wheeled main frame and load supporting bunks transversely engaged on said main frame, the bunks being provided with means for easily fastening hold down chains or straps thereto to fasten a tank securely to the bunks and to prevent shifting of the tank relative to the trailer structure while it is being transported, the trailer structure being further provided with means for easily and safely storing the bunks when not in use and for holding the stored bunks in stacked superimposed relationship on the main frame of the trailer structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved load bunks for a tank-carrying trailer, the load bunks being very inexpensive to fabricate, being sturdy in construction, and having simple and effective means to cooperate with retaining structure on the associated trailer to insure against shifting of the bunks and of a tank supported thereon during transportation of the tank.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved tankcarrying trailer constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the load bunks thereof in stored inoperative positions.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the trailer of FIG. 1 with a gas tank mounted thereon and secured thereto for transportation, with the load bunks in operative positions beneath the tank.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the loaded trailer of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the working engagement of one of the end portions of a load bunk with an arm of the main frame of the trailer of FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one of the load bunks employed in the assembly of FIGS. 1 to 4, shown in working engagement with portions of the side arms of the main frame of the trailer.

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the left rear portion of the trailer assembly of FIG. 1 showing the means for storing the load bunks when not in use.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 8--8 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 9--9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improved tank-carrying trailer assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention. The assembly 11 comprises a U-shaped main frame 12 having respective side arms 13 and 14. The main frame member 12 may be of any suitable construction, and is illustrated by way of example as being made of tubular material for lightness and economy. The bight portion of the main frame 12 is provided with conventional hitch means comprising a generally V-shaped forwardly extending hitch frame assembly 15 rigidly secured to the bight portion of main frame 12 and having a hitch loop 16 at its forward end. The forward end portion of the hitch assembly 15 is provided with a vertical dolly post structure 17 containing a conventional dolly shaft having a dolly wheel swivelly connected to the lower end portion thereof, including the dolly wheel 18. Conventional means is provided, including a manually operated crank 19, for raising or lowering the dolly wheel 18.

Suitably journalled to the rear portions of the side arms 13 and 14 are respective road-engaging supporting wheels 20, 20. The wheels 20 are journalled to suitable frame structures 21 which are in turn rigidly secured to the side arms 13 and 14 of the main frame 12, the structures 21 including upwardly facing longitudinally extending channel members 22 which receive respective side arms 13 and 14 of the main frame member 12.

The frame structure 21 adjacent the side arm 14 includes a fender 23 on which is mounted a storage compartment 24. The frame structure 21 adjacent the side arm 13 includes a fender 25 on which is mounted a winch assembly 26.

A generally U-shaped tank-lifting arch member 27 extends transversely over the rear portion of the main frame 12 and has respective side post elements 28, 28 whose lower ends are rigidly secured, as by welding, in respective upwardly facing channel members 29, 29 overlying respective main frame side arms 13, 14. The respective front and rear portions of the flanges of the channel members 29 are secured by bolts 30 to upstanding lugs 31 rigidly secured to the side arms 14 and 13. The bolts 30 are removable so that the rear bolts can be at times removed to allow the arch structure to be rotated to an inoperative position resting on the main frame member 12, as shown in dotted view in FIG. 3 to facilitate transportation of the trailer when it is not carrying a tank.

Secured to the intermediate portions of the flanges of the channel bars 29 are depending guide plates 32 which are slidably engagable with the upstanding flange portions of the channel members 22 when the tank-elevating arch member is returned to its upstanding position and which acts as side sway-inhibiting plates to insure and to assist in maintaining positive alignment of the channel members 29 with the side arms 13, 14 of main frame 12.

The post portions 28 of the arch member 27 are rigidly braced to the channel bars 29 by respective pairs of upwardly convergent channel bars 34, 34 rigidly connected between the post members 28 and the end portions of their associated bottom channel bars 29.

One of the brace bars 34 is provided with a supporting plate 35 on which is mounted a conventional trailer lamp 36.

A winch cable 38, connected to the winch assembly 26, is suitably supported by pulley means provided therefor on the upper portions of the arch member 27 and is attached to a longitudinally extending supporting bar 39 provided with depending connecting eyes 40 at its opposite ends. The member 39 acts as a lifting yoke for elevating a gas tank to a position above the main frame 12 when loading the tank onto the trailer, as will be presently described.

The winch assembly 26 and parts associated therewith, including the cables 38 and yoke bar 39 are readily removable so that they can be detached and stored elsewhere when the arch assembly is to be folded downwardly to rest on the main frame 12 for facilitating transportation of the trailer when not in use.

The side arms 13 and 14 of the main frame 12 are provided at various locations thereon with transversely aligned pairs of spaced arcuate lugs 41, 41 serving as positioning means for load bunks 42. The bunks 42 serve as underlying support means for a longitudinally positioned tank 43 supported on the trailer. At least two transverse bunks 32 are provided, and the bunks may be disposed at selected positions along the lengths of the main frame 12 in accordance with the length of the tank to be supported. The spaced positioning lugs 41 are therefore provided at locations along the main frame 12 in accordance with the range of sizes of tanks 43 intended to be carried by the trailer.

Each bunk 42 comprises a main bar 44 which may be of suitable cross-sectional shape, such as of longitudinal or square cross-section or which may be channel shaped, and rigidly secured as by welding, to the opposite ends of the bars 44 are pairs of generally right-angular flat plates 45, 45 which are arcuately curved at their inside and outside corner portions, the curvature at the inside corner portions being conformable with the curvature of the side arms 13, 14 of main frame 12, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, the pairs of plates 45, 45 are located so as to nestingly engage with the respective side arms 13, 14 and are spaced so as to be closely received between the pairs of lugs 41, 41, thereby preventing longitudinal movement of the bunks relative to frame 12. The plates 45, 45 are rigidly connected by respective transverse cross rods 47, 48 above and below the main bars 44 of the bunks. The rods 47, 48 may be employed as anchor means for hooking the ends of tie-down straps or chains to the bunks for securing a tank 43 thereto. Thus, such straps 68 are shown in FIG. 3, engaged around the tank 43 and passing beneath the side arms 13, 14 and being hooked to the lower cross rods 48 of the associated bunks 42.

The bunks 42 are provided on the intermediate portions of their main bars 44 with upwardly facing V-shaped saddle members 49 which are relatively shallow so as to be conformable with the curvature of a tank 43 supported thereon.

In mounting a tank on a trailer, the tank is first arranged so as to be between the arms 13, 14 with the tank resting on the ground. Thus, the trailer may be maneuvered so that the arms 13, 14 are disposed alongside of and parallel to opposite sides of the tank. The tank is connected by means of its end lugs 50 to the eye members 40 of the winch yoke bar 39 and is elevated by means of the winch assembly 26 to a position above the level of the side arms 13, 14, whereupon the bunks 42 are inserted beneath the tank with their end portions engaged between the appropriate pairs of lugs 41, 41. The tank 43 is then lowered onto the bunks, after which the tank is lashed to the trailer frame member 12 by means of straps 68, 68, or by other suitable means, such as chains, or the like, with the ends of the lashing means connected to the cross rods carried by the end portions of the bunks, as above-described. The tank 43 is thus ready for transportation by the trailer assembly 11.

As above explained, the bunks are positively restrained against longitudinal movement on the frame 12 and cannot shift during the transportation of the tank. Furthermore, the loading is transmitted to the side arms 13, 14 by the bunk end plate members 45, 45, at each side of the trailer, and there is no possibility of shearing or failure of the supporting members, since the weight of the tank is transmitted directly to the main frame member 12 of the trailer assembly at all times subsequent to the mounting of the tank onto the trailer.

When the bunks 42 are not in use, they are stored on the assembly by the provision of means to hold them in stacked transverse positions on main frame 12. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, vertical channel bars 51 are rigidly secured in the bottom channel members 29 in upstanding positions parallel to and spaced from the post members 28 defining receiving spaces for receiving the end plates 45 of the bunks in the manner illustrated in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, the bunks may be disposed transversely over the main frame 12 with the right angled end plates 45 engaged between the channel bars 51 and the post members 28, and the bunks may be stacked vertically in said transverse positions. Removable locking pins 56 are provided in the top portions of the channel members 51 located to overlie the uppermost plate members 45 of the stacked bunks as shown in FIG. 8 and being provided with retaining spring clips 57 engaged through the pins 56 so as to hold the pins in their retaining positions, namely, with their inner ends overlying the uppermost plates 45.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the pins 56 have cross bar handle elements 58 and the spring clips 57 are generally hairpin-shaped, having straight locking legs 59 and bowed retaining arm portions 60 to hold the clips engaged with the pins 56. As shown in FIG. 8, the clips 57 are engaged through the pins 56 in the spaces between the flanges of the channel members 51, holding the pins 56 so that their shank end portions overlie the plate members 45 of the bunks, thereby retaining the bunks in their stacked stored positions. To remove the bunks, it is merely necessary to pull out the clips 57, thereby freeing the pins 56 and allowing the bunks 44 to be lifted upwardly and to be disengaged from between the channel members 51 and post members 28.

When the bunks are stored in their stacked positions, as above-described, the pins 56 prevent them from being accidentally lost since they are constrained to remain in their transverse stacked positions by said retaining pins 56.

From the above description, it will be seen that the disclosed system of mounting the load bunks on the trailer frame, utilizing the pairs of lugs 41, 41 welded to the frame provides a means of positively positioning the bunks with minimum possibility of shearing off the retaining means for the bunks under working conditions. Furthermore, it will be seen that the bunks are designed so that they have anchor means engageably by the end hooks of the tank binding chains or binding strap assemblies in a manner to cause the load 43, the bunks and the trailer frame to be securely tied together. Also, it will be apparent that the assembly described above provides a safe and reliable means of storing the load bunks when they are not in use.

While a specific embodiment of an improved load-carrying trailer assembly has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A load-carrying trailer assembly comprising a wheeled main frame having two side arms of substantially regular geometric cross-section, at least one set of transversely aligned pairs of spaced lugs on each of said side arms, each of said lugs being fixedly secured to said side arms; at least one load supporting bunk having projections at either end thereof, the width of said projections being approximately equal to the spacing between said pairs of lugs; and said projections being snugly disposed between opposite pairs of said lugs, so as to prevent longitudinal movement of said bunk relative to said frame when a load is placed on said bunk.
 2. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 1, and anchor means on the lower ends of said projections of the bunks for connection to load binder means engaged around a load supported on the bunks.
 3. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 1, and storage means on said main frame for securing the bunks in transverse vertically stacked relation on said main frame when the bunks are not in use.
 4. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 1, and wherein said bunks comprise substantially straight main bar portions and said end portions comprise pairs of generally L-shaped plate members secured to opposite sides of the ends of said main bar portions in parallel relation with their top arms projecting outwardly.
 5. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 4, and cross rod elements connecting the L-shaped plate members at their lower portions to define anchor means for a load binder.
 6. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 5, and wherein the L-shaped plate members have rounded inside corner portions.
 7. The assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said projections are shaped to substantially conform to said cross-section of said side arms.
 8. The assembly set forth in claim 7 wherein said lugs are shaped to substantially conform to the outer surface of said side arms.
 9. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 8, and wherein said projections are generally right-angular in shape and engage the side arms at their inside corner portions.
 10. A load-carrying trailer assembly comprising a wheeled generally U-shaped main frame, at least one set of transversely aligned pairs of lugs on the side arms of said main frame, and load-supporting bunks having end portions formed to supportingly engage on said side arms, said end portions being closely receivable between transversely aligned pairs of lugs to maintain the bunks transverse relative to said side arms when a load is placed on the bunks and to prevent shifting of the bunks, said end portions comprising pairs of spaced parallel generally L-shaped plate members on the ends of the bunks with outwardly directed top arms, said plate members being spaced so as to be closely received between pairs of lugs with the inside corner portions of the plate members engaging the side arms.
 11. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 10, and wherein said inside corner portions are shaped to substantially conform with the shape of said side arms.
 12. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 10, and cross rod elements connecting the plate members and defining anchor means for connecting load binder means engaged around the load supported on the bunks.
 13. The load-carrying trailer assembly of claim 12, and wherein said bunks are provided at their midportions with upwardly facing concave saddle elements for supportingly receiving a rounded load.
 14. A load-carrying trailer assembly comprising a wheeled generally U-shaped main frame, at least one set of transversely aligned pairs of lugs on the side arms of said main frame, and load-supporting bunks having end portions formed to supportingly engage on said side arms, said end portions being closely receivable between transversely aligned pairs of lugs to maintain the bunks transverse relative to said side arms when a load is placed on the bunks and to prevent shifting of the bunks, and storage means on said main frame for securing the bunks in transverse vertically stacked relation on said main frame when the bunks are not in use, said storage means comprising spaced upstanding members secured on said side arms shaped to lockingly receive said end portions therebetween, and removable retention means on at least one of the upstanding members located to overlie the end portion of the uppermost bunk.
 15. A load-carrying trailer assembly comprising a wheeled generally U-shaped main frame, at least one set of transversely aligned pairs of lugs on the side arms of said main frame, and load-supporting bunks having end portions formed to supportingly engage on said side arms, said end portions being closely receivable between transversely aligned pairs of lugs to maintain the bunks transverse relative to said side arms when a load is placed on the bunks and to prevent shifting of the bunks, and a transversely extending vertical hoist arch member secured on said main frame, said hoist arch member having respective side post elements extending perpendicular to the side arms of the main frame, and upstanding bars on the arch member spaced from the side post elements extending perpendicular to the side arms of the main frame and defining therewith receiving spaces for the end portions of the bunks, and removable retention pins extending through the bars and located to retentively overlie the end portions of the bunks, for retentively storing the bunks in stacked transverse positions when not in use.
 16. A load-carrying trailer assembly comprising a wheeled generally U-shaped main frame, at least one set of transversely aligned pairs of lugs on the side arms of said main frame, and load-supporting bunks having end portions formed to supportingly engage on said side arms, said end portions being closely receivable between transversely aligned pairs of lugs to maintain the bunks transverse relative to said side arms when a load is placed on the bunks and to prevent shifting of the bunks, wherein said bunks comprise substantially straight main bar portions and said end portion comprise pairs of generally L-shaped plate members secured to opposite sides of the ends of said main bar portions in parallel relation with their top arms projecting outwardly and a transversely extending vertical hoist arch member having side post elements and bottom bars rigidly secured perpendicularly to said side post elements, means securing said bottom bars on the side arms of the main frame, upstanding channel bars on said bottom bars spaced from the side post elements sufficiently to lockingly receive the L-shaped plate members horizontally between the channel bars and the side post elements, whereby the bunks can be stored transversely in stacked relationship, retention pins extending horizontally through the top portions of the channel bars and having end portions located to overlie the uppermost L-shaped plate members, and locking spring clips removably engaged through the portions of the retention pins in the channel bars to hold the retention pins in bunk-retaining positions.
 17. A load-carrying trailer assembly comprising a wheeled generally U-shaped main frame, at least one set of transversely aligned pairs of lugs on the side arms of said main frame, and load-supporting bunks having end portions formed to supportingly engage on said side arms, said end portions being closely receivable between transversely aligned pairs of lugs to maintain the bunks transverse relative to said side arms when a load is placed on the bunks and to prevent shifting of the bunks, and wherein said bunks comprise substantially straight main bar portions and said end portions comprise pairs of generally L-shaped plate members secured to opposite sides of the ends of said main bar portions in parallel relation with their top arms projecting outwardly, and wherein said straight main bar portions are of substantially rectangular cross-section and said L-shaped plate members are rigidly secured to opposite flat sides of said main bar portions and have bottom portions depending below the main bar portions, and cross rod elements connecting said depending bottom portions to define anchor means for a load binder. 